What should I do on this situation?

Đoàn Viết Khôi Nguyên 60 Reputation points
2026-10-04T02:59:08.5666667+00:00

Hello Microsoft,

My name is Nguyen, and I am a Windows enthusiast who enjoys creating Windows mods. One of my favorite Microsoft projects is the Longhorn MSX Demo Set from the early 2000s. I have been working on a Windows 10 mod inspired by those demonstrations.

While recreating the experience, I noticed that some of the applications shown in the demos were never actually released. In particular, the demos featured concepts referred to as Microsoft Office 2002 and Office 12, including demonstrations of Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint. Because these applications only appeared as concepts and demo footage, I decided to recreate them for my project.
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Initially, my recreation was only a simple HTA mockup for visual purposes. However, I later expanded it into a basic functional text editor inspired by the concept shown in the demos. The project is entirely fan-made, free, and intended as a tribute to Microsoft's Longhorn-era concepts. I also clearly state in the project's documentation that it is not an official Microsoft product and is only a recreation of historical concept material.

My question is whether creating and distributing such a fan-made recreation could cause any issues regarding Microsoft's intellectual property, trademarks, or copyrights. I would appreciate any guidance on what is acceptable and what I should avoid.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Kind regards, Nguyen

Windows for home | Other | Apps
Answer accepted by question author
Hendrix-V 19,650 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-10-04T07:28:29.1166667+00:00

Hi Đoàn Viết Khôi Nguyên,

It’s great to see your enthusiasm for preserving and recreating historical Windows concepts. Projects inspired by older Microsoft demonstrations can be interesting from a community and educational perspective, especially when they are clearly presented as fan-made recreations rather than official Microsoft products.

That said, questions involving copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property, and redistribution rights are legal matters, and community members on Microsoft Q&A are generally unable to provide definitive legal guidance. Based on your description, it is a good practice that you already identify the project as unofficial and fan-made. However, you may also want to be cautious about using Microsoft trademarks, logos, branding elements, copyrighted assets, or any content that could imply endorsement or affiliation with Microsoft.

It sounds like a creative tribute to an interesting period in Windows history, and I hope you're able to continue developing it while ensuring it complies with the applicable intellectual property requirements.

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